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| Western Australia Department of Planning | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Department of Planning |
| Formed | 1950s (predecessor agencies) |
| Jurisdiction | Perth, Western Australia |
| Headquarters | Perth CBD |
| Minister1 name | Minister for Planning (Western Australia) |
| Parent agency | State Government of Western Australia |
Western Australia Department of Planning
The Western Australia Department of Planning is the state agency responsible for statutory and strategic planning across Perth, the Pilbara, the Goldfields-Esperance, the Kimberley, and other regions of Western Australia. It advises the Minister for Planning (Western Australia), develops regional and metropolitan strategies such as the Perth and Peel@3.5million framework, administers land-use zones under state planning schemes, and coordinates with entities including the Western Australian Planning Commission, the Department of Transport (Western Australia), the Western Australian Local Government Association, and statutory authorities like the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority. The department interfaces with federal bodies such as the Australian Government on projects that involve the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The department traces its origins to early 20th-century planning bodies and commissions influenced by figures and reports including the Stephenson-Hepburn Report and the post-war expansion of Perth. Successor agencies and reorganisations involved the Western Australian Planning Commission formation in 1955 and later restructurings under premiers such as Charles Court and Carmen Lawrence. Major milestones include the adoption of the Perth Metropolitan Region Scheme, the endorsement of regional strategies for the Peel Region, and policy shifts reflecting national accords like the Council of Australian Governments agreements on urban development. Institutional changes have responded to inquiries and royal commissions that shaped land administration across resource-rich regions including the Pilbara conflict era and disputes involving the Yindjibarndi and other Indigenous groups.
The department's core functions are statutory planning, strategic policy development, metropolitan and regional planning, and coordination of land-use decision-making involving heritage listings under acts such as the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990. It prepares statutory instruments including state planning policies associated with mining and resources activities tied to actors like Rio Tinto Group, BHP (Australian operations), and proponents in the Gorgon gas project context. The agency liaises with local government authorities including the City of Perth, City of Fremantle, and regional councils in areas such as the Pilbara Cities program, delivering frameworks affecting infrastructure projects like the Perth Stadium precinct, transport corridors involving the Public Transport Authority (Western Australia), and coastal management near sites like Rottnest Island.
The department is structured into divisions covering metropolitan planning, regional and strategic planning, development assessment, heritage, and policy and legislation, working in concert with the Western Australian Planning Commission and agency partners such as the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and DevelopmentWA. Senior executive roles report to the Minister for Planning (Western Australia), while statutory delegations are exercised through panels and advisory committees that include representatives from the Aboriginal Heritage Council and industry stakeholders like the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia. Collaboration mechanisms include bilateral arrangements with the Department of Transport (Western Australia) and memoranda of understanding with universities such as The University of Western Australia for research on urban form.
Signature documents and strategies prepared or administered by the department include the Perth and Peel@3.5million population plan, the State Planning Strategy, regional frameworks for the Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy interface, and metropolitan planning schemes like the Perth Metropolitan Region Scheme. The department has issued state planning policies addressing coastal resilience near the Swan River (Western Australia), bushfire-prone areas under guidance consistent with the Building Code of Australia, and industrial land supply in resource regions serving projects by corporations such as Chevron Corporation and proponents of the North West Shelf developments.
The department has led or coordinated major initiatives including corridor planning for the Mitchell Freeway and the Perth Freight Link debates, redevelopment projects in precincts managed by the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority such as Elizabeth Quay, and urban infill programs across municipalities including the City of Stirling. It supports growth centre plans that interact with infrastructure delivered by the Public Transport Authority (Western Australia) and major transport projects such as the Perth Airport expansion and rail extensions to growth corridors serving suburbs like Ellenbrook. Indigenous engagement initiatives link to native title determinations such as those involving the Noongar and regional planning outcomes in areas adjacent to the Roopeena and other pastoral leases.
The department operates under statutory instruments including the Planning and Development Act 2005 (Western Australia), the Metropolitan Region Town Planning Scheme Act 1959 (Western Australia), and heritage regimes like the Heritage Act 2018 (Western Australia). Governance is exercised through the Western Australian Planning Commission, ministerial direction, and intergovernmental frameworks such as the National Partnership Agreement on Land Use Planning. Regulatory interfaces extend to environmental legislation including the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (Western Australia) when proposals trigger environmental assessment processes.
The department has faced criticism over perceived conflicts between growth facilitation and environmental protection, notably controversies around urban expansion affecting the Swan Coastal Plain and coastal development near Mandurah. High-profile disputes have involved heritage controversies in precincts such as Fremantle, contested transport projects like the Perth Freight Link which drew protests from groups allied with the Australian Greens, and debates over approvals for resource-proximate development impacting communities represented by Indigenous organisations including claimants in Native title in Australia proceedings. Critics have also highlighted tensions with local governments over infill policies in municipalities such as the City of Vincent and calls for greater transparency following audits and reviews by bodies including state ombudsmen and parliamentary committees.
Category:Government of Western Australia Category:Planning authorities in Australia